Kraigg Brathwaite likely cover for Chris Gayle

Kraigg Brathwaite

St. John's (Antigua) – Opener Kraigg Brathwaite is likely to be called up to the West Indies squad as cover for Chris Gayle, as injury worries persists over the talismanic left-hander.

The 21-year-old Brathwaite has trained with the West Indies squad for the last few days of their camp in Barbados and was Sunday conspicuously excluded from the 13-member West Indies High Performance Centre (HPC) squad to face Bangladesh A in the second four-day "Test", starting Monday.

Brathwaite, who stroked 164 against Bangladesh A in the first "Test" last week, is also expected to travel with the West Indies squad to Jamaica Wednesday, ahead of the first Test which begins at Sabina Park Sunday, reports CMC.

The Barbadian right-hander has played ten Tests since making his debut as a teenager three years ago.

Gayle, meanwhile, has been hampered by a back injury in recent weeks that resulted in his poor form during the recent Indian Premier League. He said in an interview last week that he would consult a specialist in Germany about the injury.

The Jamaican was scheduled to arrive in Barbados Sunday to join the West Indies camp.

West Indies start their second warm-up match of the camp Monday, when they face a Barbados Select XI at 3Ws Oval.

Brathwaite, who captained the WI HPC to a crushing 351-run victory over the Bangladesh A in the first "Test", has been replaced at the helm by namesake Carlos Brathwaite for the second game at Kensington Oval.